Summary

Salicylate, a compound found in willow tree bark, is the active breakdown product of aspirin, and has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of salicylate has been unclear. On page 918 of this issue, Hawley et al. (1) show that salicylate activates the cellular metabolic regulator adenosine monophosphate (AMP)–activated protein kinase (AMPK), which stimulates fat utilization in mice.